THE HERON. 261 



while our heart beat loud with the rapid exertion 

 and excitement, we have shot him just as he had 

 detected our head above the rock. And what a 

 triumph have we felt in standing over his prostrate 

 form, and smoothing his expansive wings, feeling in 

 that moment a sufficient reward for having crawled 

 on hands and knees, perhaps three hundred yards 

 of treacherous ground, slipping over sea-weed, and 

 through salt-water pools. But it was never thus on 

 the mud-flats ; there no friendly barrier intervened 

 to screen our approach, and we could only advance 

 near enough to be just out of shot, when the large 

 wings were unfolded, and we were left to stand and 

 gaze wistfully after the coveted prize. Now and 

 then at early dawn, we have come suddenly upon a 

 Heron while busily employed under the steep bank 

 of a brook, and have thus been enabled to knock 

 him down with snipe-shot before he could get out 

 of range. It was ludicrous to observe the surprise 

 of the bird when he first became aware of our pre- 

 sence, and with a hoarse croak clumsily endeavoured 

 to get away. On one occasion, accompanied by a 

 red setter, we were stalking a Heron, when the dog, 

 over-anxious, ran forward and attracted the attention 



